This year’s silly season is sure to be an entertaining one but one driver who, in all probability, will not change teams is Kyle Busch. Rowdy has had a tough season at Richard Childress Racing and there have been speculations that if Martin Truex Jr. retires at the end of the year, there could be a reunion with Joe Gibbs Racing. But Busch’s contract situation is a bit tricky for that to happen.
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The two-time Cup Series champion signed a two-year deal with RCR last season with an option to extend. This is his last year on that contract without the extension and judging by the season he’s had, it would not come as a surprise if he decided to leave. However, as per veteran motorsports journalist Candace Spencer, that extension option is a roadblock to the JGR reunion.
“I asked him at Kansas Speedway, “What’s your contract situation for next year?” And he said, “I’m still under contract.” He signed a deal that was two years and then an option, I verified that with the front office at RCR. Had that not been the case, my guess is he would have been first in line to go back to Joe Gibbs Racing,” she said on a recent episode of PRN Live.
As silly season gets even juicier, one name you won't hear is Kyle Busch. @CandiceSpencer shares what Kyle told her about his contract and why it could've been the lone hurdle between a Joe Gibbs Racing reunion. #NASCAR
MORE: https://t.co/NsD6T4OX6g pic.twitter.com/NjC1wL0gWH
— PRN (@PRNlive) June 10, 2024
While it has been a tough season for the two-time Cup Series champion, the same can be said of Martin Truex Jr. who could very well call it a day and hang up his boots at the end of the year.
Insider predicts 2024 to be Martin Truex Jr.’s swansong
Motorsports reporter Danielle Trotta believes that this will be Truex Jr.’s final full-time season in the sport considering how hard it has been for him to win races. He came within an inch of winning at Sonoma and would have tied Jeff Gordon for the most wins at the track had his fuel not run out right at the end.
“I think this is his final season. I’m gonna go ahead and put it on record and so I think I was interested to see if he could walk away from his best track with one more win and tie Jeff Gordon. That would have been huge,” she explained.
It will be interesting to see what Martin Truex Jr. decides to do when the final checkered flag falls this year and whether or not Busch takes that RCR extension or looks for options elsewhere.
